45: 50 Days of 3:16

We have an ingrained sense of what is right and wrong. Our upbringing will shape that to some extent allowing us to mould our moral compass. Our original programmed moral code is given to us by the creator. We tend to self-program ourselves to agree with some things because it makes sense to us. A little lie cannot hurt. Stealing from them shouldn’t matter, do you know what they have done and who they are stealing from, they have lots of money and no one will notice. God created the human form so why shouldn’t I be able to gaze at it in all its beauty whenever I want however I want in the privacy of my own home. Blurring the lines of what is right and wrong sets us up for all kinds of trouble.

 

Keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behaviour in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

1 Peter 3:16

 

We are living in a society where the moral compass of right and wrong might as well be broken. Some of the foundational facts are inherently followed, you ask anyone if murder is acceptable they will quickly correct you and tell you, of course, it is wrong. Then ask them their thoughts on abortion and you may hear them tell a different story. Or ask them their thoughts on those who prey on children or vulnerable woman. Some quickly change their tune and condone the destruction of these people.

 

As believers in Christ, we need to be better at following the moral compass that God has provided us. We do not need to be programmed robots, but we need to know right from wrong. How we live our lives outside of church needs to reflect our lives as a believer. We cannot be seen as one who speaks out of both sides of their mouth, saying they believe one thing but acting out another. What we do in secret will not always remain a secret. We will be tempted to do things, that is inevitable, we may even step into the temptation, but as a believer, we see our mistake, take a step back ask for forgiveness and walk away from it. When we choose to stay in the temptation that will lead us into all sorts of trouble.

 

Is your life focused on doing good things for God? Works do not get us to heaven and we do not need to do good works to be accepted into heaven. Jesus paid the cost for that and when we accept what he has done that is all the payment needed to be welcomed into heaven. We are to do good works because of what he has done for us. We have been called to share this faith with others. If we keep ourselves doing good work, other then being lazy, we will keep ourselves from doing things that lead us into sin. Idle hands tend to wander into places that tempt us to do things we shouldn’t. We see this in the children/teenage years, those kids who have activities to do tend, for the most part, keep busy and get into less mischief. Keep busy doing God’s work, not just to keep busy but to grow the kingdom of God.

 

Father, what in my life is keeping me distracted from doing the work you have called to do? Forgive me for the distractions I have allowed, the temptations I have dipped my hand in. I want to follow you with everything so forgive me for my weak ways. Strengthen me to withstand the temptations that are sent my way, Holy Spirit show me ways out and guard my heart from evil. Let those who wish to slander me realize that their words are not true and that the God I follow is the God who is calling out to them. Use me to reach the world around me. Give me boldness to be effective in all I do. Amen

33: 50 Days of 3:16

Mankind without the redemptive power of the cross is destined for destruction. Ever since sin was unleashed in the world it has steadily been working to destroy the creation that was meant to glorify God. Many are oblivious to this destructive destiny that is a part of their lives going through the motions.

 

Destruction and misery are in their ways:

Romans 3:16

 

Here is Romans Paul is writing about the human condition. How by our own means we are not or never will be righteous in Gods eyes. We all will one day be held to account for our actions and the sin that we have accumulated in our lifetimes. The judgement is based on sin, not on levels of good and bad, which many believe is what is coming. Our good deeds and bad deeds are not put on a scale with whichever has the most weight winning. Our sin, fully exposed will be the basis of what we are judged on. Each and every human born into this world is born into sin and they with their own strength cannot remove it.

 

God knew this to be true and worked out a way for mankind to be free from the bondage of sin. He sent his son Jesus to be born on the earth, walk among us and die so that we may have a way to be free of the curse of sin. Believe my sin is a curse, unknown to us this curse has infected us, and Jesus blood is the only cure. This cure is freely given to those who would surrender themselves to serving him. This must be a choice of each person as this gift must be accepted never imposed.  It just doesn’t work any other way.

 

Do you feel like your life is full of destruction and misery? Maybe you have been living your life trying to weigh your deed feeling the good outweighs the bad. The harder you work at this the farther behind you get. Jesus is waiting for you to surrender your life to him, all you need to do is admit that you cannot do it yourself and need his forgiveness. He will remove your sins, not just cover them over but remove them as far as the east is from the west. No other religion promise this type of grace, love and forgiveness. What are you waiting for?

 

Father, forgive us for our sins and help us to surrender fully to you. You never promised that this life would be an easy one, give us the strength to endure. Give us the wisdom to talk to others and share your love with them. Help us overcome our fears and speak the truth to them. Use us to be your light. Amen

 

31: 50 Days of 3:16

Not surprisingly, John 3:16 is the most well-known scripture in the world. Why exactly would this be? It most likely has to do with the fact that the Gospel is wrapped up in this one verse of the Bible.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

One of the things this world has a hard time comprehending is that our eternal destiny is given to us as a choice. Why would an all-powerful, just, good God give the people He created a choice? If they live a good life would that not be enough to grant admission into heaven and life eternal? This train of thought keeps many from ever accepting the Son and what He has done for them. They do not see any importance to His death and resurrection. They could be judging God based on what they have seen religious institutions do in the past but never being involved in the Church. On our own strength we have no way to redeem ourselves from the sin that separates us from the relationship God desires to have with us.

How then do we reach people around us when we as believers do not understand, let me explain;

On one hand we talk about the fact that we cannot force someone to accept Jesus into their lives, yet in the next breath we are praying that God will ‘soften’ their hard hearts to the truth.

Well God does not force Himself into people lives. Revelations says that Jesus is knocking at the door. Some days we wish Jesus was there at the door ready to kick it in, but He patiently waits for each person to open the door. How do they know who is on the other side of the door? That is what we are called to do, we are to tell others about who Jesus is so that they freely desire to open the door to Him. We need to be His salt and light in this world, showcasing who Jesus is, telling others why we accepted Him. Using the simple Gospel in this verse to be your starting point.

Father, today I pray that we be your salt and light, reflecting who you are in this world. Help us to remove the fear that holds us back from sharing your love with this world. The moment of possible rejection is a small price to pay for exposing them to the truth that can free them from an eternity of suffering. Give us wisdom to speak life into their lives. Use us to fulfil the mission. Amen.

23: 50 Days Freed

Ever had the experience of taking a box of clothing to a thrift store to donate but on the way realize ‘wait a minute, how did that get in the box’ and you take something out? Or you’re having a yard sale to clear out your junk but your spouse put out something that is important to you and you bring it back in just before someone buys it? We cling to things that are material because they have a perceived value to us. What is precious to us is junk to others. Our sin is junk that holds us back from the freedom we can receive in Christ Jesus. There are times where we go to the altar and lay our sins down giving them all to him, but as we leave we quick grab and hold on to something just in case we may need it.

 

 

“He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”

Psalms 103:12 NLT

Jesus’ sacrifice for us was so amazing, so vast in nature that we sometimes cannot grasp what he has actually done for us. There are people out there who when they accept Jesus as their savour believe that Jesus couldn’t forget or wash away their sins, that he like all our dirty laundry as a teenager, is just gather in a ball and stuffed under the bed or in the closet. Out of sight out of mind, and one day maybe Jesus will pull items out and remind us of those filthy rags we used to wear. Jesus doesn’t do that, but some Christians do, instead of taking their sins to Jesus they choose to attempt to hide them away. When we hold onto these sins we set ourselves up to be in bondage to them.

Aren’t you glad that Jesus never told us to hide our sins from him? He offers to wash you white as snow, that means removing and tossing all sins in the trash. Not where we can access them but so far gone that we could never retrieve them. As far as the east is from the west. If you heading east, west is behind you, and no matter how far east you may travel west will always be behind you. Such a vast divide that can never be obtained, if he promised this separation from our sins why then would we want to hold onto them?

Do you have sin balled up in the closet? Is it starting to smell and permeate your life? If left to fester in your closet you will be tempted to check out the smell and even put them on for ” old times sake”. If that’s you, I pray that right now you ask Jesus to come in a clean up the closet of your life, give him access to all spaces of your life. Let him remove what you left behind, he will take it and make you fully clean. It is time to truly walk in the freedom Jesus has for you.

Jesus, take all my sins, as far as the east is from the west send them from me. I want to serve you with a clean heart, holding or hiding nothing from you. Holy Spirit indwell my life. Guide me, walk with me, put the mission of reaching people at the forefront of my heart and mind. Let me see others as you see them and constantly remind me that they matter to you, so they should matter to me. Amen